How to Become A Rally Driver South Africa

Rally drivers race on closed-off public roads. They run against the clock, one car at a time, on dirt, pavement, and anything in between.

What makes a good rally driver?

Obviously preparation is key, but I’d say calmness and adaptability are most important. Rallying is easy when everything is going well and you and your driver are in sync, the car is running strong, the crew sails through what amount to basic service tasks

How fast do rally drivers go?

On the roads that are closed to the public, where the racing actually happens, speeds on these twisty gravel roads average between 50 and 70 miles per hour, which occasional bursts over 100 mph on the straights.

Why do rally cars accelerate so fast?

For more than 30 years, 4 wheel drive and turbo charging have been standard equipment in rally cars. The car’s “brain” or engine management unit is one area that has had a significant impact on the speed of rally cars. Electronic fuel injection and ignition control help to gain more power from every drop of fuel.

Below is How to Become A Rally Driver South Africa

Join Your Local Car Club 

A great way to get involved in rally driving is to join a local car club. The Sports Car Club of South Africa (SCCSA) is a cornerstone of our community. Their Rally Cross program is an affordable program with more relaxed rules than other rally events. 

Join your local club for volunteer opportunities and the opportunity to network.  

Even if you don’t have a car yet, your local club is most likely willing to let you volunteer so that you can learn more about the sport. Many of these clubs stay alive because of the volunteers! 

Find a Mentor! 

Once you’ve joined the club and develop a network, it’s time to cultivate relationships! 

These clubs usually have very friendly members who will welcome talented and committed racers into their community. The more members who take you under their wing, the more opportunities you will be afforded with lower barriers to entry. 

Time for RallyPro Performance Driving School 

You can’t learn to rally from a book!

You’ve likely spent many hours catching up on WRC action and buried in your laptop watching rallying videos on YouTube.   

Now that you’ve joined your local car club and maybe even tested your skills in rally cross, it’s time to ask yourself a serious question

Get Your Car 

At RallyPro Performance Driving School, our chief instructor Bryn Walters teaches you why “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow.” 

If you haven’t already chosen your car, now’s a great time to pick a slow car. Then you can learn about the car classes for your local car club. 

We suggest you start with a 2WD as they are easier and less expensive to repair compared to AWD cars.

What’s After RallyCross? 

“The SCCA recognized that currently there is a large gap in competition opportunities between RallyCross and stage rally. To fill that gap, the SCCA has created a program called RallySprint.

RallySprint will provide intermediate steps between RallyCross and stage rally. The incremental steps provide competition opportunities with increased challenge and speed.

The safety requirements and financial investments in equipment increase incrementally as well. Safety for competitors and teams, volunteers and spectators are of the utmost importance. 

Below are list of Rally Driver South Africa

Etienne van der Linde

· Kelvin van der Linde

· Sheldon van der Linde

· Alan van der Merwe

· Sarel van der Merwe

· Syd van der Vyver

· Basil van Rooyen

· Dion von

Do you need a driving licence to be a rally driver?

International Competition Licences incorporate a FIA Medical Certificate of Aptitude, and every 2 years for applicants under 45 a 12-lead electrocardiogram. For an International Rally both driver and co-driver of the car are required by the FIA to hold a full International Rally Driver’s licence.

How much does it cost to start a rally team in South Africa?

The startup costs of rally racing can amount to around R 285652.99, taking into account things like the car, tools and safety gear. A season of 5 local events might cost around R199957.09, for things like consumables and accommodation costs, making the total cost for a first rally season about R 499892.74.

Is RallyCross expensive?

SCCA® RallyCross® uses traffic cones to build race courses on grass or dirt fields, eliminating most hazards and barriers, which in turn makes RallyCross one of the least expensive and fun ways to race.

How do I start rallycross?

So remember, if you want to start racing in rallycross:

Get to know the sport.

Get involved with a team.

Sample the driving for yourself.

Get yourself a licence and join a club.

Choose your car carefully.

Get the correct safety equipment.

Get plenty of time behind the wheel.

Be dedicated.

How much does a rally cross car weigh in South Africa ?

Minimum weight is 1200 kg empty and 1350 kg with driver and co-driver (in both cases with only one spare wheel).

Are rally cars street legal?

Rally cars are road legal and registered cars, as during the road sections between special stages they need to drive on public roads and respect all the traffic rules.

Are rally drivers better than F1 in South Africa ?

The difference lies in the fact that rally drivers need vastly more experience than F1 drivers before they can be truly classed as true all-rounders. Rally drivers tackle a much wider variety of terrains, car problems, time schedules etc. and, as such can be seen as more complete drivers.

Is WRC or F1 harder?

Secondly rallying is more difficult to follow than F1 and circuit racing in general. You need to understand how rallying works otherwise you are just watching excellent car control and cool looking slides.